Everyone's chemotherapy program is different. Don't even begin to ask me to pronounce the names of the drugs! I did become quite the expert though, completing 36 chemotherapy sessions via intravenous over 18 months. Here are my top tips from my experience with chemotherapy for HER2+ breast cancer.

Tips for the first chemotherapy session.

Going in for the first session can be extremely daunting as everything is new. I started chemotherapy 10 days after I was diagnosed (usually the case to start quite quickly). The days prior to starting chemotherapy you could have had three scans, multiple blood tests, an operation to get a port put in, and multiple appointments with specialists. So, by the time you get to starting chemotherapy, you are somewhat exhausted. But, there is also this huge sense of relief to start on the drugs that can save your life. The first session is usually longer than usual because they will put the drugs in slower to check whether you have any reaction to the drugs.

What to pack for chemotherapy?

1. Large drink bottle.
2. Lunch and snacks (hospital food is not that glamorous, if you want more than a ham sandwich on white bread I suggest you pack your own)
3. AirPods
4. Audiobook 
5. Headband and sulphate-free conditioner if you are cold capping
6. Beanie or cap for after chemo if you are cold capping. The hair will be cold and frozen after.

To cold cap or not too cold cap?

Some people find the cold cap non-invasive. I really struggled with it. Not only does it add two hours onto your treatment each session (it needs to be on for 30 minutes before and 90 minutes after the drugs go in), but it feels like your head is in a freezer. My breast care nurse looked at my hair and warned me she didn't think it would last until the end of my treatments. Yet, I wanted to give it a go. I lasted six sessions and then I stopped it. Stopping it was the best decision I ever made. The sessions were shorter, and much more bearable.

To arm port or not to arm port?

I was recommended by my oncologist to have a port inserted. This allows the oncology nurses to easily access the port without having to try different veins each session. I’m glad I did have the port inserted, because I had so many sessions my veins would have been ruined by the end of them. I am also not a huge fan of needles (who is!) and the arm port meant I could put a numbing patch on the area before my session and then it would get accessed without me even feeling it. If you don’t have a port the oncology nurses will try to find the best vein on the day to put the intravenous drip into.

How to prepare for chemotherapy day.

Making sure you are very well hydrated in the days leading up to chemotherapy and also the days proceeding chemotherapy can help ensure the drugs are processed faster. The faster the drugs move through your body the better you will feel. Eat light meals the day before chemotherapy. Example: fresh fruit, vegetables, soups, salads and fish. This enables the body to get to processing the chemotherapy faster, rather than focusing on that big bowl of pasta and wine from the night before. Eating lots of high fibre foods also keeps the bowels moving, the last thing you want is a chemotherapy poo in your digestive system making you feel sick.

Help around the house.

1. If you are the primary caregiver, you will need extra support to keep the household running and everyone cared for. We introduced a cleaner that came once a fortnight, a luxury that we were happy to pay for.
2. Instead of having friends drop off 100 lasagnas in the first week of you being diagnosed, ask a friend to coordinate some food drops that can be done over the coming weeks when you start chemotherapy.

Other tips

1. Take the anti-nausea drugs. They are effective and it’s good to get on top of it before it’s too late.
2. Ask your oncologist about any additional medications or vitamins you are wanting to take. For example, I learnt that turmeric and grapefruit cannot be consumed on the days around chemotherapy as they can potentially reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.
3. Speak to your oncologist about options of doing chemotherapy in the home. I didn’t do this, but had friends that did and it was a much more comfortable experience.
4. Exercise will also help your body process the drugs and pump them around to every cell in your body. A light walk straight after chemotherapy, if you are feeling up to it, is a good idea.

For official information and resources on breast cancer please visit Breast Cancer Network Australia (bcna.org.au) who have a resource hub, podcasts and the MyJourney app to help educate people about the disease. If you have questions or need support please call the BCNA helpline on 1800 352 681 or visit their resource hub by clicking here.